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Lovina Travel Guide
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Lovina, Bali © Judith Duk |
Overview On Bali's north coast, the Lovina holiday resort stretches along
several miles of black volcanic coastline, encompassing seven
villages, with Kalibukbuk the established tourist centre. Although
Lovina is the second largest resort outside of the Kuta region, it
is not as developed as the south of the island and retains a rural
charm not in evidence in the more commercial areas, with
guesthouses prettily situated on the beach or among the rice
fields. Ducks, pigs and chickens scratch in the fields and cattle
wander along the roads.
Colourful Balinese boats take Lovina tourists out to see the
sociable dolphins, most active at sunrise, and the reef-protected
waters provide a calm environment for snorkelling. Situated between
the main diving sites on the north coast of Bali, Lovina is a good
base for diving excursions. The black-sand beaches are calm and
good for swimming. Bali's only Buddhist monastery, Brahma Vihara
Arama, is a few miles away and can be combined with a visit to the
delightful Air Panas hot springs at Banjar, another great holiday
attraction.
Shopping The holiday resort of Lovina is actually a string of small
villages strung along the coast, centred on the main town,
Kalibukbuk. Here there is a western-style shopping centre and a
variety of souvenir shops, where plenty of Balinese beachwear and
tourist necessities are available. For serious shopping make
excursions to the south, and to the villages where local craftsmen
produce stone and woodcarvings, and jewellery designs.
The most popular souvenirs from Lovina are the carved wooden
dolphin statues, but don't believe the touts who try to convince
you that they are ebony.
Restaurants Don't expect to find many gourmet establishments while on
holiday in Lovina, but Kalibukbuk has plenty of good-value
restaurants catering for the tourist trade, most of them serving up
a combination of Western and Indonesian cuisine. Rijsttafel buffets
are popular and special deals abound, as do 'happy hours'.
Nightlife In Lovina, the nightlife is confined to entertainment provided
at the hotels, especially the highly entertaining shadow puppet
shows. There are some cosy bars in town where you can enjoy a
cocktail or a local Bintang beer and live music or karaoke while on
holiday. Some even offer discos on Friday nights. There may not be
a booming party scene, but there is fun to be found for those who
prefer a more sedate night time experience.
Activities Lovina's main holiday attraction is the magical underwater world
that exists just off of its black volcanic sand beaches, complete
with schools of dolphins that frolic offshore. Locals have taken
advantage of this and offer scuba diving and snorkelling
expeditions, as well as dolphin-viewing boat trips. Hotels usually
make arrangements for these, as well as fishing or other watersport
activities. The black-sand beaches are calm and suitable for taking
children swimming. The adjacent interior is ideal for hiking,
especially in the West Bali National Park. The Banjar Hot Springs
are a relaxing excursion, and there are a number of spas in the
area. You can also take an Indonesian cooking class at one of
several schools.
Negatives There are lots of hawkers on the beach in Lovina and this can
become a nuisance to travellers.
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